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National
Council of Child Support Directors |
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PresidentPauline Burton Dept. of Human Services Division of CSE 303 East 17th Avenue Suite 200 Denver, CO 80203 720 947-5000 720 947-5008 fax Vice PresidentDiane M. Fray Dept of Social Services Bureau of CSE 25 Sigourney Street Hartford, CT 06106 860 424-5253 860 951-2996 fax dmf888@att.net Secretary/TreasurerTeresa Kaiser Dept. of Human Resources CSE Administration 311 West Saratoga Street Baltimore, MD 21201 410 767-7065 410 333-8992 fax |
December
21, 2001 General
Accounting Office Room
5928 441
G Street, N.W. Washington,
D.C 20548 Attention:
Susan Higgins Dear
Ms. Higgins: This is a follow-up
to your recent communications with Nathaniel L. Young Jr., IV-D Director from
Virginia regarding private collection agencies, and access by such agencies
to IV-D information and enforcement remedies. Mr. Young has discussed this
issue with Pauline Burton, the current president of the National Council of
Child Support Directors (NCCSD), and Ms. Burton asked that I respond to you
on her behalf. It is my
understanding that you are interested in
information to substantiate the letter sent to Frank Fuentes, Acting
Commissioner of OCSE on January 16, 2001
(signed by Mr. Young as NCCSD President). This letter expressed the concerns of NCCSD regarding the
practices of some private collection agencies. Some of the specific concerns in the letter detailed situations in
which private collection
agencies issued the notices as if an underlying order for income withholding
existed, when it did not. Other concerns related to income withholdings that
had been issued by private collection agencies that exceeded fair credit
limit guidelines or pay plans established in individual state laws. In at
least one situation interest was included in the calculation of the arrears,
though that practice is not appropriate in all states.
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Information from a number of states is being forwarded for your review. In some situations we have provided a write-up of the situation that occurred, when paperwork or the specific documentation from the client affected was not available. We have redacted the client information on many of the documents, but some states provided information that included the client’s name or
other demographic
information. While states are willing
to provide this information to your office, it is with the understanding that
all information will be kept in strict confidence by the GAO. It is also my understanding that Vicki
Turetsky with CLASP has provided
detailed information for you, as well as Marilyn Ray Smith, the current
IV-D Director in Massachusetts.
I have also attached
a copy of the NCCSD resolution on private access. This document clearly articulates the NCCSD position and provides
some of our specific issues and concerns.
Please contact
Pauline Burton or myself if you need additional information, or if you would
like to discuss this issue in more detail.
Sincerely,
Diane M. Fray,
Vice President